Method and System for Enabling Reception of Multimedia Contents at a User&#39;s TV Set Via a Communications Terminal

ABSTRACT

A method for enabling use of contents by a user of at least one set top box adapted to receive broadcast TV signals, includes: establishing an association between at least one identifier of the user in a communications network, and at least one identifier of the at least one user&#39;s set top box; notifying the user via the communications network of the availability of the contents, wherein the notifying includes exploiting the at least one identifier of the user in the communications network; upon receiving a confirmation by the user, delivering the contents to the user&#39;s set top box, wherein the delivering includes identifying the at least one user&#39;s set top box exploiting the at least one identifier thereof.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field oftelecommunications, including TeleVision (TV) networks, datacommunications networks (such as the Internet) and mobile communicationsnetworks (such as mobile, telephony networks). In particular, theinvention concerns a method and a system for enabling the reception ofmultimedia contents at a user's TV set via a user's mobile,communication terminal (e.g., a mobile phone).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Thanks to the recent advent of digital TV transmissions technology, TVbroadcasters are now capable of providing much more than thetraditional, analog broadcast TV.

The transmission of digital TV signals may occur in different ways. Forexample, in Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) networks, the broadcastsignal is broadcast “over the air”, and is received by an antennasimilar to that used for receiving analog TV signals. Other means forbroadcasting digital TV make use of satellites or cables.

Digital TV can be enjoyed using traditional TV sets exploiting aso-called “Set-Top Box” (STB), which is an electronic equipmentbasically adapted to decode signals, particularly digital signals,received, e.g., through the TV antenna, and to provide the decodedsignals to the TV set for displaying the multimedia content on the TVmonitor.

Advanced STBs can be more than just signal decoders, and may beprogrammed to execute applications. Essentially, the STD comprises aprogrammable data processing apparatus (a computer) adapted to runsoftware, which decodes the digital TV signal and also executes theapplication software.

In particular, such applications that may be executed by the STB mayallow an interaction of the user, e.g. through the STB or, possibly, theTV set remote control device, with service providers in an IP network(typically the Internet), over an available communications network,forming the so-called “return channel”; which is the physical path usedby the STB to enable the client interact with the server of the serviceprovider; for example, the return channel may consist in a dial-upconnection over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to anaccess provider providing access to the IP network, using an internal orexternal modem, or an xDSL line, or a wireless connection, e.g., aconnection to a GPRS or packet-switched) UMTS network.

Interactive TV (iTV) can he exploited by users to send information(e.g., votes, questionnaires, requests for a service) back to a servicecenter in the IP network, through the STD's return channel.

Examples of iTV involving a cooperation of a broadcast iTV network withother communications networks are known in the art.

For example, EP-A-1467576 describes a method for selecting and tuning abroadcast processing system (a combination of an STB and a TV set) to abroadcast channel. The viewer uses a mobile terminal for connecting to amobile service, for example with the WAP or a Web browser, or utilizingSMS messages. The mobile terminal downloads a mobile application, suchas a calendar event that alerts the viewer when a selected TV program isabout to start. The STB, having a Bluetooth communication module orother wireless interface, is instructed by the mobile terminal and tunesonto the selected program.

In WO 03/56830, a user contacts a server arrangement via the mobileterminal, and receives a request for an ID number of the STB he/she ispresent at. The user sends the ID of the STB to the server arrangement,which responds sending a control code to the STB, which is shown to theuser and which the user sends back to the server arrangement via themobile terminal, to show that he/she is actually present at thatparticular STB. The connection is thus established, and the user isinquired for the desired service.

WO 03/94123 describes an iTV payment system used for the purchase ofgoods, services or entry into a game or competition. The user sends acode derived from a requested service and a unique user apparatusidentifier number, via a mobile phone and by messaging to a designatednumber; once the message is received by the messaging center, themessage is transmitted to a broadcaster/service provider which theninterprets it, identifying which user's apparatus is requesting theservices, and which service is being requested. The user pays with themobile phone, and the receipt of the message is the confirmation to thebroadcaster/service provider that a charge has been billed to the user'smobile phone: the broadcaster/service provider can then instruct itsbroadcasting/transmitting equipment to provide access to the desiredservice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Applicant has faced the problem of making contents available tousers through STBs, particularly iTV STBs.

In particular, the Applicant has faced the problem of how to make suchcontents exploitable by users whenever and, possibly, wherever theyprefer.

To this purpose, the Applicant has observed that it would be useful ifan iTV user could be made aware of the availability of contents withoutthe need that his STB be on and possibly tuned onto a specific program.

Essentially, the Applicant has found that communications terminals, suchas mobile phones (or mobile stations, or users equipments) of the typeenabling voice (and, possibly, video and/or data) communications overmobile telephony networks like GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, WiFi networks, orPersonal Computers (PCs), can be advantageously exploited for notifyingan iTV user of the presence of contents that he/she can access viahis/her STB, and for enabling the sending of the contents to the user'sSTB.

Thus, thanks to the present invention, an iTV user can be notified ofthe availability of contents that he/she can access via the STB timely,individually, in any place he/she is.

Thanks to the user's communications terminal unique identification inthe communications network, by associating such a unique user'sidentification with an iTV Set-Top Box (STB), it is possible to makeuser-dependent the fruition of contents.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a method as set forthin the appended claim 1 is provided, for enabling use of contents by auser of at least one set top box adapted to receive broadcast TVsignals. The method comprises:

establishing an association between at least one identifier of the userin a communications network, and at least one identifier of said atleast one user's set top box;

notifying the user via the communications network of the availability ofthe contents, wherein said notifying includes exploiting said at leastone identifier of the user in the communications network,

upon receiving a confirmation by the user, delivering the contents tothe user's set top box, wherein said delivering includes identifying theat least one user's set top box exploiting said at least one identifierthereof.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a system as setforth in claim 24 is provided.

The system comprises:

at least one set top box adapted to receive broadcast TV signals;

at least one communications network;

Said system is adapted to:

establishing an association between at least one identifier of a user ofthe at least one set top box in a communications network, and at leastone identifier of said at least one user's set top box;

notifying the user via the communications network of the availability ofcontents usable by the user, by exploiting said at least one identifierof the user in the communications network; and

upon receiving a confirmation by the user, identifying the at least oneuser's set top box exploiting said at least one identifier thereof anddelivering the contents to the user's set top box.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention, a serverapparatus as set forth in claim 47 is provided, adapted to enable use ofcontents by a user of at least one set top box adapted to receivebroadcast TV signals.

The server apparatus is adapted to:

establishing an association between at least one identifier of a user ofthe at least one set top box in a communications network, and at leastone identifier of said at least one user's set top box;

notifying the user via the communications network of the availability ofcontents usable by the user, by exploiting said at least one identifierof the user in the communications network; and

upon receiving a confirmation by the user, identifying the at least oneuser's set top box exploiting said at least one identifier thereof andcausing the delivery of the contents to the user's set top box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present invention will be made clearby the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, providedby way of non-limitative example, description that will be conductedmaking reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically shows an exemplary system scenario in which amethod according to an embodiment of the present invention isapplicable;

FIG. 2 schematically shows a consumer users' table used by aninformation server of the system of FIG. 1 for establishing anassociation between a consumer user's STB identifier and a mobilecommunications terminal identifier, in an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 pictorially shows a consumer user's STB in terms of functionalblocks relevant to the understanding of the invention embodiment hereindescribed;

FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart showing some steps of a contentsproduction and publishing phase, in an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart showing the main steps of a contentsfruition phase, in an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION

Making reference to the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is schematically shownan exemplary system scenario in which a method according to anembodiment of the present invention is applicable. In particular, theexemplary scenario that is herein considered relates to the fruition,via a TV set equipped with an iTV Set-Top Box (STB) (either external orintegrated in the TV set), of multimedia contents (e.g., images, photos,videos, audio, text, as well as any other contents adapted to be fruitedthrough a TV set) published on a server (information server) of a packetdata network, particularly an IP network, for example the Internet. Itis pointed out that this scenario is however not limitative to thepresent invention.

In the drawing, reference numeral 105 denotes a content producer user,which is assumed to be the producer of (a) content(s) 110 intended to befruited by other users (consumer users), like a consumer user 115,particularly through a TV set 120. The content 110 is generally intendedto be a digital multimedia content, including images, like photos andgraphics, videos, audio, e.g., music, text or a combination thereof; thespecific nature of the content 110 is not limitative to the presentinvention.

The producer user 105 produces the content 110 using a productionsubsystem 125; the production subsystem 125 is herein intended toinclude any means by which a content 110 can be produced, such as forexample a camera for taking photos, possibly a digital camera, a mediacenter (a personal computer with high-capacity storage, broadbandconnectivity and video cards), a computer (e.g., a Personal Computer—PC)running suitable applications for downloading the photos from the cameraand for managing them, for example archiving, manipulating, editing andthe like.

The production subsystem. 125 is also intended to include acommunications terminal; for example, the (PC of the) productionsubsystem 125 has a suitable connection to an IP network 130 such as theInternet. For example, the connection may include a modem and a dial-upconnection over a PSTN, or an xDSL connection to an Internet accessprovider (not shown), or a connection (e.g., a Wi-Fi connection) to aLAN with a gateway to the IP network 130. A File Transfer Protocol (FTP)client and/or browser, and/or a custom application may in particular beprovided, for transferring files and/or connecting to the World Wide Web(WWW).

It is remarked that the specific nature of the production subsystem 125is per-se not limitative to the present invention; it might for exampleinclude a mobile communications terminal, e.g. a GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, IMSmobile phone, Wi-Fi phone as well as include any software application,such as a web application, a mobile application (e.g., based on Symbian,J2me or equivalent operating system) resident or downloaded onto theproducer user's communications terminal, or an interactive TV (iTV)application running on an Set Top Box (STB). Also the connection of theproduction application 125 to the Internet 130 is per-se not critical tothe present invention, and it may include a connection through a LAN anda suitable gateway, an xDSL connection, a Wi-Fi connection, a GPRS, EDGEor UMTS connection.

Through the connection to the Internet 130, the production application125 communicates with an information server 135, connected in turn tothe Internet 130.

The information server 135 is the publishing platform that producerusers like the user 105 exploit for publishing their multimedia contentsso as to render them adapted to fruition by other users. In particular,the information server 135 is adapted to receive from producer users'production subsystems, e.g. the production subsystem 125 of the produceruser 105, the multimedia contents 110, store the received content 110 ina content repository 140, and distribute the multimedia contents toother, consumer users like the user 115.

For the fruition of the multimedia contents published by the produceruser 105 through the information server 135, the consumer user 115 has aTV set 120 equipped with a STB 145, particularly an iTV STB; inparticular, but not limitatively, the iTV STB 145 may include a DTTreceiver/decoder, a satellite digital TV receiver/decoder, a CATVreceiver decoder; hereinafter, it will be assumed, merely by way ofexample, that the STB 145 is a DTT STB, albeit the specific nature ofthe iTV STB is not critical to the present invention. Alternatively, theconsumer user 115 may exploit a TV set with integrated (DTT) STBfunctionalities, or a media center equipped with a DTT tuner or IPTV(Internet Protocol TV) access.

Exploiting the STB 145, the consumer user 115 can receive, decode anddisplay contents from a TV network 150, e.g. a terrestrial or satelliteor cable TV broadcasting network, broadcasting programs over channels orbouquet of channels.

The iTV STB 145 includes a programmable data processing apparatusessentially similar to a computer, adapted to execute programs. The STBthus includes a data processing unit, like a central processor (CPU) ofa computer, communicating over a bus with volatile (RAM) andnon-volatile (ROM) memory resources, the latter exploited fornon-volatile storage of code (like the bootstrap code) and data, theformer used as a working memory for the execution of the operatingsystem and other programs.

The iTV STB 145 is further adapted to support data communicationsthrough a connection 155 to Internet 130; such a connection 155 formsthe so-called “return channel” of the STB. The return channel 155 may inparticular be a PSTN (dial-up) connection (to an Internet accessprovider), or an xDSL connection, or a wireless connection, e.g., aWi-Fi connection or a mobile (GPRS, EDGE, UMTS) connection to theInternet, or any other connection: the nature of the connection is notcritical to the present invention.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the informationserver 135 is adapted to communicate with a Short Message Service Center(SMS-C) 160 of a mobile telephony network 165, e.g., a GSM or UMTSnetwork. Through the SMS-C, the information server 135 can send andreceive SMS messages to (SMS supporting) mobile communication terminalsof the consumer users, such as the mobile communications terminal 170 ofthe consumer user 115.

Still according to an embodiment of the present invention, theinformation server 135 handles, in respect of consumer users that aresubscribers to the multimedia delivery service; such as for example theconsumer user 115, a table 175 adapted to establish an associationbetween STB identifiers, univocally identifying users' STBs, andidentifiers of the users within the mobile communications network, forexample the mobile telephony number (cellular phone number) associatedwith the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) provisioned to the user andinserted in the mobile communications terminal 170. According to anembodiment of the present invention, the information server 135 exploitsthe information contained in the association table 175 for associating agiven STB, like the STB 145, with the mobile telephony number of theSTB's user 115, for notifying the user 115 of the presence of contentsto be fruited, and for negotiating with the user 115, through the mobilecommunications terminal 170, the mobile telephony network 165 and theSMS-C 160, an authorization to deliver the multimedia contents presentin the repository 140 to the STR 145, as will be described in greaterdetail in the following.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the structure of the association table 175,in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The table 175includes one (possibly, more than one) entry for each subscriberconsumer user, like the user “USERi” identified in FIG. 1 by referencenumeral 115. This generic table entry includes a plurality of fields,particularly at least one pair of fields denoted as “STB ID” and “STBSTATUS”, corresponding to a respective STB owned or currently exploitedby the subscriber user; the field “STB ID” is intended to contain aunique identifier of the user's STB, like the identifier “(STB ID)i” ofthe STB 145, whereas the field “STB STATUS” is intended to be a flagindicating a current status (on/off) of that STB. A field “CELL PHONENUMBER” is intended to contain the number of the STM in the mobilecommunications terminal (cellular phone) 170 of the user 115. In casethe user has more than one STBs and/or cellular phone, more than one ofthese fields might be provided, thereby the generic user may communicatetwo or more cellular phone numbers and/or STR ID to the informationserver.

Coming back to FIG. 1, as motioned in the foregoing, in addition toreceiving and decoding the TV signal, the STB 145, including aprogrammable data processing apparatus, is further adapted to run moreor less sophisticated software applications.

In particular, the STB 145 is preferably adapted to run applicationswhose code may for example be dynamically transmitted to the STB overthe TV network 150, embedded in a transport strewn associated with thebroadcast TV signal: by tuning the STB 145 onto a proper TV channel, theSTB 145 can receive, associated with the broadcast TV program, a“master” application which, in the case of DTT technology, is forexample an MHP (Multimedia Home Platform) Xlet.

It is however pointed out that the specific way the application code tobe executed by the STB is rendered available thereat is not critical tothe present invention: for example, the code may be pre-installed, or bedownloaded through the return channel from, e.g., the information server135.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the STB 145 isadapted to run a master application which is responsible for assistingthe information server 135 in establishing and maintaining theassociation, in the table 175, between the number(s) of the user'scellular phone 170 and the unique identifier of the STB 145. Referenceis made to FIG. 3, which depicts, schematically and in terms offunctional blocks relevant to the understanding of the inventionembodiment herein considered, the structure of the STB 145. It ispointed out that any one of the different functional blocks may includehardware components, software components, or, more typically, a mix ofhardware and software.

The STB 145 includes a receiver/decoder 305 adapted to receive, decodeand feed to the TV set (for being displayed to the consumer user) the TVsignal broadcast by the TV network 150; the receiver/decoder 305includes a tuner, by which the user can tune the STB onto desired TVchannels.

The STB further includes a return channel communication manager 310,enabling the STB connecting to, e.g., the Internet 130 so as toestablish the return channel 155 with, in the example, the informationserver 135; the return channel communication manager 310 may be intendedto include communication devices such as a dial-up modem, an xDSL modem,a GPRS or UMTS card, or these devices may be external to the STB 145.

An STB ID detect application 315 is executed by the STB 145; the STR IDdetect application 315 is for example an application, e.g. an MPH Xlet,whose code is received through a transport stream associated withbroadcast transmissions on a selected TV channel, on which the user 115may have to tune the STB 145 for enjoying the multimedia contentsdelivery service. The ID detect application 315 is adapted to extract anSTB identifier 320 “(STB ID)i” of the STB 145, stored for example innon-volatile way in the STB's ROM, or written in a smart card which isprovisioned to the user 115 upon subscription of the service (most STBsare equipped with a smart card reader); alternatively, the STBidentifier may be an IP address of the STB on the Internet (whenconnected thereto), or the user's PSTN or ISDN or mobile telephonynumbers from which the call to establish the connection to the Internetis placed, or any other piece of information adapted to univocallyidentifying the STB, for example a MAC (Media Access Control) or NIC(Network Interface Card) address.

The ID detection application 315 interacts with the return channelcommunication manager 310, for communicating with the information server135, in particular for sending the read identifier to the informationserver 135 over the return channel 155.

The STB further includes a Graphical User Interface (GUI) 325, adaptedto enable the user 115 interact with the STB, e.g. via a console and/ora remote control, and a media viewer/player 330, for viewing/playing themultimedia contents through the TV set.

The operation of the system will be hereinafter described, according toan embodiment of the present invention.

Upon subscription to the service, the information server 135 creates anentry USERi for the subscriber user 115 in the association table 175.From then on, the user 115 is entitled to the fruition of multimediacontents published through the information server 135 by producer users,such as the user 105. This fruition could be subject to rightsmanagement policy, in case of premium contents, and to charging.

In a production and publishing phase, the multimedia contents areproduced by a generic producer user, like the producer user 105, andthey are published through the information server 135. In particular, asdepicted in the schematic flowchart of FIG. 4, the user 105 produces thecontents 110 (block 405 ), for example he/she takes some (digital)photos or videos with a digital camera and downloads the photos or videoto his PC, or the photos are taken with a mobile phone equipped with anembedded camera.

The producer user then connects to the information server 135 anduploads the produced contents (block 410). The uploaded contents may beassigned a unique identifier (e.g., a string of letters or numbers, like“777”, for example) by the information server 135, which stores them inthe contents repository 140.

The producer user 105 may additionally specify a list of one or moreconsumer users, like the user 115, which he/she desires be notified ofthe presence of the newly published contents (block 415); the produceruser may in particular specify, for each desired consumer user, arespective cellular phone number, by manually inputting it, or he/shecan select the desired consumer users out of an address book, eithermanaged locally to his/her premises, or managed remotely at theinformation server and accessible through a Web page.

The production and publishing phase ends.

A fruition phase of the published contents is schematically depicted inthe flowchart of FIG. 5, wherein a block denoted by reference numeral500 is intended to identify a consumer sub-system, for example thesub-system of the consumer user 115, including the consumer itself,his/her cellular phone 170, the STB 145, the TV set 120.

The information server 135, after having received from the producer 105and stored in the repository 140 the new contents, prepares anotification SMS to be sent to the consumer users specified by thecontents producer; the information server 135 connects to the SMS-C 160,which delivers the notification SMS to the cellular phones of all theselected consumer users, among which the user 115, for example (block501).

Advantageously, the notification SMS 180 sent to the consumer users isformatted in a peculiar way: the SMS sent by the SMS-C has the sendernumber obtained by combining digits representing an emitting “largeaccount” corresponding to the information server 135, and digitsrepresenting and univocally identifying, at the information serverlevel, the specific contents object of the notification by theinformation server 135. For example, let it be assumed that the digitsrepresenting the emitting large account are “333,”, whereas the digitsidentifying the contents are, as in the above example, “777”: in the SMSsent to the consumer users the digits representing the sender numberthus are “333777”; thus, the notification SMS includes informationidentifying the contents object of the notification. This mechanism,which as will be seen later allows implementing an easy reply procedureby the users receiving the notification SMS, requires a properconfiguration of the SMS-C 160, and a proper interface of the SMS-C 160with the information server 135, both of which are per-se known in theart.

Each consumer user specified by the producer, like the user 115,receives on his/her mobile communications terminal 170 the notificationSMS 180 (formatted as previously described) announcing the availabilityof the contents 110 (block 503). The consumer users are thus made awareof the presence of new contents ready to be fruited.

When the consumer user 115 is in condition or decides to do so, he/sheturns his/her TV set 120 and STB 145 on, and tunes the STB onto one ofthe TV channels which support the service (block 505); it is observedthat the consumer user is free to do this whenever and wherever he/shewants, for example a few hours, or days later than the receipt of thenotification by the information server, and in any location whereatthere is a suitable STB available.

Upon tuning the STB 145 onto the selected TV channel, a “master” Xlet,for example an MHP Xlet, whose code is embedded in the transport streamof the TV channel is automatically downloaded and executed on the STB145 (block 507); the master Xlet, once executed, implements the IDdetection master application 315 schematically depicted in FIG. 3.

The ID detection master application 315 detects the identifier 320 ofthe STB 145 in which it is running (block 509), to be communicated tothe information server 135. The value (“(STB ID)i”) of the STB'sidentifier is opaque to the final user, and is a value that identifiesunivocally the STB 145. As mentioned in the foregoing, multiple optionsare available for selecting the proper identifier to be communicated tothe information server: it may for example be stored and read out from anon-volatile storage area in the STB, or be stored on a smart-cartprovisioned to the user.

The ID detection master application 315 then communicates the detectedSTB's ID to the information server 135 by using the return channel 155(block 511); this involves establishing a connection with theinformation server through the Internet (if such a connection is notalready established). In this way, the ID detection master application315 informs the information server about the fact that that specificSTB, univocally identified by that specific STB's ID, is currently tunedonto a specific channel (the channel from which the master Xlet isreceived) and, supposedly, a viewer is watching it.

It is observed that the ID detection master application may operate in“autorun” mode, so that as soon as it is downloaded from the broadcastchannel, it is put into execution, it detects the STB's ID, it sets upthe return channel, e.g. by establishing a connection to the Internet,and it transmits the STB's ID to the information server by using thereturn channel.

Also, the ID detection master application can maintain permanentconnection with the information server, or alternatively it may freezeafter having communicated the STB's ID.

The information server 135 receives from the STB 145 the STB's ID “(STRID)i” (block 513). In this way, the information server 135 is made awareof the fact that that specific STB 145 is currently on and running, andtuned onto the correct TV channel.

Looking up in the association table 175, the information server 135checks whether the received STB's ID is present in the table (and it isassociated to at least a cellular number) (decision block 515).

In the affirmative case (exit branch “Y” of decision block 515), theinformation server 135 sets the STB status flag to “ON” in the table 175(block 517), then waits for the reply by the consumer user 115 to thenotification SMS.

In the negative case, i.e. if no entry is found in the table 175containing the received STBs's ID (exit branch “N” of decision block515), the information server 135 communicates this to the ID detectionmaster application 315 (through the return channel 155) (block 519).

Upon receiving such a communication, the ID detection master application315 then interactively prompts the user 115, through the GUI 325 and theTV screen, requesting him/her to provide the number of his/her cellularphone 170 (block 521). The user may perform this operation by using theinput interface of the STB (e.g., by using the STB remote control, or acontrol console) for inputting his/her cellular phone number. The IDdetection master application 315 communicates the association cellularphone number/STB's ID to the information Server, over the return channel155 (block 523).

It is observed that the user 115 may perform the actions relating to theassociation of his/her STB's ID with his/her cellular number wheneverhe/she wants, for example upon subscribing to the service: the STB's IDand the cellular phone number will be stored in the table 175 held bythe information server. In particular, the ID detection masterapplication 315 may be manually operated by the consumer 115, i.e.,without the need to receive a request from the information server, for afirst time (or subsequently when an update is needed, for example formodifying the cellular phone number), when the user wishes to associateone (or more) cellular phone number with the STB's ID.

In addition to inputting the cellular phone number, the uses may berequested (at least the first time) to enter a personal identifier(e.g., “USERi”), provisioned upon subscription, adapted to make him/heridentified by the information server as a subscriber of the service.

Also, the user may disable any prompt request at his/her STB (in casethe he/she does not want to provide his/her cellular number).

It can be appreciated that, advantageously, multiple distinct users of asame STB can perform the same submission using the ID detection masterapplication 315, each user having the possibility of providing his/herown personal cellular number (e.g., these users may be the members of afamily sharing the same STB and TV set). Moreover, in case the STB 145is changed (and therefore a previously submitted association is notvalid anyxnore, due to the fact that the new STB's ID differs from thethat of the old STB), the sane STB ID/cellular phone number associationoperation can be repeated, either started by the user, or under requestof the information server: the inforrnation server can thus update theuser's entry in the association table with the new STB ID.

In alternative embodiments, when the information server 135 ascertainsthat an entry is already present in the table 175 for the received STB'sidentifier (and one or more user's cellular phone numbers are present),the information server requests to the user, preferably through the STB,to confirm/modify the associated cellular phone number, or to select thedesired cellular phone number from a list, as well as to add a newcellular phone number.

Back to the flowcbart of FIG. 5, the information server 135 receivesfrom the ID detection master application 315 the cellular phone numberof the user, und stores it in the association table 175 in associationwith the user's STB ID (block 525); there is thus established anassociation between the STB and the user's cellular phone number. Then,the information server sets the STB status flag to “ON” in the table(lock 517), and waits for the reply by the consumer user 115 to thenotification SMS (block 519).

When the user 115 decides to do so, he/she replies to the notificationSMS previously sent by the information server 135 for notiing thepresence of newly published contents (block 527). By replying to theSMS, the user expresses his/her willingness in accessing the newcontents on his/her STB 145.

It has to be noted that thanks to the peculiar SMS formatting describedabove, no action is required to be performed by the user, apart from asimple reply to the previously received SMS message. When the user 115replies to the received SMS 180 using his/her mobile communicationsterminal 170, the reply SMS message is sent to the destination numberrepresented by (adopting the above example) the “333777” digits. Oncesuch reply SMS message is transmitted, it is received at the SMS-C 160.which is configured to interpret as meaningfiul only the first (three inthe example) digit of the destination number, i.e. the digits “333”identifying the information server 145, and uses these digits to selecta suitable application for dispatching the reply SMS to the informationserver.

Thanks to the peculiar SMS format, the user does not need to fill thebody of the reply SMS, or to specify anything else additional: be/shesimply replies to the received notification SMS.

The reply SMS is thus sent from the user's mobile communicationstenninal 170 to the mobile network, and received at the SMS-C 160, whichforwards it to tbe information server 135.

The information server 135 receives the reply SMS message (block 529)and examines the received SMS, thus identifying the digits (in theexample, the “777” digits) which univocally indicates the contents 110to be sent to the consumer user (block 531).

The information server 135 extracts from the reply SMS the cellularphone number of the user 115 who replied to the notification SMS, andthen searches for this number in the association table 175, so as tofind out whether the cellular phone number is associated to an STBidentifier (decision block 533).

In the negative case (exit branch “N” of decision block 533), meaningfor example that the consumer user has not yet completed theregistration procedure to the service, by providing his/her cellularphone number and the the STB ID, the information server 145 preferablysends a warning SMS to the consumer user 115, inviting him/her toregister for the service. The user 115 receives the warning SMS onhis/her mobile communications terminal (block 538); it will be up to theconsumer user to register his/her STB to the service: this can be doneas described before, by tuning the STB onto the proper TV broadcastchannel, so as to download the “master” Xlet. When the user will haveproperly registered his/her STB to the service, the user will have toreply again to the initial notification SMS, for activating the deliveryof the contents (connector J1, jumping back to block 505).

In the affirmative case (exit branch “Y” of decision block 533), theinformation server 135 is able to establish an association between thecellular phone number extracted from the received reply SMS, and an STBID found in the association table 175.

The information server 135 then checks the current status of the user'sSTB (decision block 537).

If the information server 135 finds that the STB is at the moment off(exit branch “N” of decision block 537) (the status flag in theassociation table 175 is set to “OFF”, which for the information server135 imeans that at that moment the “master” Xlet doesn't appear to berunning), the information server sends a warning SMS to the consumeruser 115, inviting him/ber to switch the TV set and the STB on toreceive the contents 110 (block 539).

The user 115 receives the warning message on his/her mobilecommunications terminal (block 541). It is up to the user 115 to turnthe TV set and the STB 145 on, tune onto the proper TV channel (so as todownload the “master” Xlet and have the STB “ON” status signaled to theinfonmation server 135, and then re-send a reply SMS to the originalnotification SMS, so as to activate the delivery of the contents(connector J1, jumping back to block 505, for the consumer subsystem,and connector J2, jumping back to block 529, for the informationserver). In alternative embodiments, re-sending of the confirmation SMS(in reply to the original notification SMS) may be avoided, with properlogic.

If instead the information server 135 finds that the STB 145 iscurrently on (exit branch “Y” of decision block 537), the contents 110can be sent to the user 115. To this purpose, the ID detection masterapplication 315 may cooperate with the information server 145 forreceiving and instantiating a service-specific consumer application,such as the viewer 330 of FIG. 3, which is fed with the properparameters in order to retrieve the content 110 and present it to theconsumer 115.

In partcular, the information server 135 communicates to the STB 145 theintention of the user 115 to access to the contents 110 (block 541). Tothis purpose, the return channel 155 is exploited, and the informationserver 135 may communicate with the ID detect master application 115running at the STB 145 (block 543).

The ID detection master application 315 downloads (or receive in push)the code of the suitable consumer application associated with thecontent 110, if not yet available on the STB, and instantiates it (block543); the ID detcution master application 315 also passes to theconsumer application 330 as argument either the link to, or the content110.

The user 115 accesses the content 110 through his/her STB 145, which ismade available and handled by the proper Consumer Application 330 (block545).

In particular, the contents 110 may be received over the return channel155, through the internet 130, or they may be made available to the STB145 through the broadcast TV channel by broadcast network 150 (for thispurpose connected by an internet connection to the information server145, for example, or directly to the producer user); in this last case,encryption of thec multimedia contents is preferably envisaged, in orderto make their fruition possible only by the intended consumer user.

Optionally, while the consumer user 115 accesses the contents 110, theconsumer application 330 can communicate to the information server thefact that the user started accessing the content, so that theinformation server can send an SMS to notify the producer user 105 ofthis fact.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a peer-to-peerarchitecture for content sharing and accessing is envisaged: in such acase the contents 110 need not be uploaded to the information server,and they may be fetched in a peer-to-peer mode directly from theproducer user 105. In this case, only the notification of theavailability of new contents and their location need to be sent to theinformation server 135.

The described operation flow is merely exemplary and not limitative ofthe present invention: alternative embodiments are in fact possible.

For example, concerning the contents made available, it may be possibleadopt a similar scheme for notifying users of the availability of newapplications (e.g., a new game, a T-government tool, etc.), or of thepossibility to contribute to an opinion poll, etc. Thus, the presentinvention has a rather broad application, ranging from (personal)content sharing to i-advertisement, from infoteinment to T-commerce.

Also, instead of using SMS, the notification to the consumer users mightbe based on Instant Messaging, e-mail or any other messaging system, aswell as on a combination of these means. The users may also be given theopportunity to select which notification channel they prefer.Alternative ways of identification of the consumer user in the mobilecommunications network are possible in place of the mobile telephonynumber, for example in case of IMS-capable terminals a SIP URI may beexploited.

In addition to notifying the producer user of the fruition, by theconsumer users, of the produced and published contents, other kinds offeedbacks might be sent to tbe producer; for example, the producer mightbe notified of which consumers are currently exploiting the contents,and the connection time; additionally, the consumer users might beallowed to add textual/multimedia information to the fruited content andto tend the added content back to the producer or to share it with allthe consumers.

Different architectural solutions for the information server can beenvisaged; for example, a light information server might maintain onlythe logic for handling the cellular number/STB ID association table,while enucleating any application-specific logics (e.g. logic forinteractive polls) and content repositories (e.g. video archives), whichcan be outsourced to ancillary external systems.

Although the present invention has been disclosed and described by wayof some embodiments, it is apparent to those skilled in the art thatseveral modifications to the described embodiments, as well as otherembodiments of the present invention are possible without departing fromthe spirit or essential features thereof/the scope thereof as defined inthe appended claims.

1-47. (canceled)
 48. A method for enabling use of contents by a user ofat least one set top box adapted to receive broadcast TV signals,comprising: establishing an association between at least one identifierof the user in a communications network, and at least one identifier ofsaid at least one user's set top box; notifying the user via thecommunications network of the availability of the contents, wherein saidnotifying comprises exploiting said at least one identifier of the userin the communications network; and upon receiving a confirmation by theuser, delivering the contents to the user's set top box, wherein saiddelivering comprises identifying the at least one user's set top boxexploiting said at least one identifier thereof.
 49. The methodaccording to claim 48, further comprising establishing an associationbetween said contents and said user. 50 The method according to claim48, wherein said notifying comprises sending a message over thecommunications network, addressing the user by means of said at leastone identifier of the user in the communications network.
 51. The methodaccording to claim 48, wherein said establishing an associationcomprises providing a server apparatus adapted to store the at least oneidentifier of the user in a communications network, and the at least oneidentifier of said at least one user's set top box, and to establish anassociation therebetween.
 52. The method according to claim 51, whereinsaid server apparatus is connected to a packet data network.
 53. Themethod according to claim 52, wherein the packet data network is theinternet.
 54. The method according to claim 52, further comprisingproviding a return channel for the at least one user's set top box, saidreturn channel being connected to the packet data network and allowingthe user's set top box to communicate with the server apparatus.
 55. Themethod according to claim 54, wherein said at least one identifier ofthe at least one user's set top box is communicated to the serverapparatus by the user's set top box through the return channel.
 56. Themethod according to claim 54, wherein the at least one identifier of theuser in the communications network is communicated to the serverapparatus by the user's set top box through the return channel.
 57. Themethod according to claim 56, further comprising: having the at leastone user's set top box request the user to input the at least oneidentifier of the user in the communications network.
 58. The methodaccording to claim 51, wherein said notifying is caused by the serverapparatus.
 59. The method according to claim 48, wherein said at leastone identifier of the set top box comprises one or more among anidentifier code stored in a storage area of the set top box or in asmart card operatively associated therewith, an identifier of the returnchannel, a telephony number of a telephony network exploited for settingup a return channel, or a media access control or a network interfacecard address of the set top box.
 60. The method according to claim 48,wherein said at least one identifier of the user in the communicationsnetwork comprises one or more among a telephony network identifier or ane-mail address.
 61. The method according to claim 60, wherein saidcommunications network comprises a mobile telephony network, and said atleast one identifier of the user in the communications network comprisesa mobile telephony identifier.
 62. The method according to claim 61,wherein said notifying the user comprises sending a notification messageto the user exploiting a messaging service of the mobile telephonynetwork or a short messaging service.
 63. The method according to claim62, wherein said sending the notification message comprises including inthe notification message, a message sender identifier comprising a firstpart adapted to identify the notification message issuing entity, and asecond part adapted to identify the contents object of the notification.64. The method according to claim 63, wherein said confirmation by theuser comprises a reply message to the notification message.
 65. Themethod according to claim 54, further comprising: having the set top boxcommunicate to the server through the return channel, a current workingstatus thereof.
 66. The method according to claim 65, wherein saiddelivering the contents comprises: having the server preliminarily checka current set top box status.
 67. The method according to claim 66,further comprising: in case the server, checking the current set top boxstatus, ascertaining that the set top box is not currently working andnotifying the user of the status of the set top box through thecommunications network.
 68. The method according to claim 54, whereinsaid delivering the contents comprises delivering the contents via thereturn channel.
 69. The method according to claim 48, wherein saiddelivering the contents comprises delivering the contents via broadcastTV signals.
 70. The method according to claim 69, further comprisingencrypting the contents delivered.
 71. The method according to claim 48,wherein said communications network is external to a broadcast TVnetwork used for broadcasting the TV signals.
 72. A system comprising:at least one set top box adapted to receive broadcast TV signals; and atleast one communications network; said system being adapted to:establish an association between at least one identifier of a user ofthe at least one set top box in a communications network and at leastone identifier of said at least one user's set top box; notify the uservia the communications network of the availability of contents usable bythe user, by exploiting said at least one identifier of the user in thecommunications network; and upon receiving a confirmation by the user,identify the at least one user's set top box exploiting said at leastone identifier thereof and deliver the contents to the user's set topbox.
 73. The system according to claim 72, further adapted to establishan association between said contents and said user.
 74. The systemaccording to claim 72, further adapted to notify the user by sending amessage over the communications network, and address the user by meansof said at least one identifier of the user in the communicationsnetwork.
 75. The system according to claim 72, comprising a serverapparatus adapted to store the at least one identifier of the user in acommunications network and the at least one identifier of said at leastone users set top box, and to establish said association therebetween.76. The system according to claim 75, further comprising a packet datanetwork to which said server apparatus is connected.
 77. The systemaccording to claim 76, wherein the packet data network is the internet.78. The system according to claim 76, further comprising a returnchannel for the at least one user's set top box, said return channelbeing connected to the packet data network and allowing the user's settop box to communicate with the server apparatus.
 79. The systemaccording to claim 78, wherein the at least one user's set top box isadapted to communicate said at least one identifier thereof to theserver apparatus through the return channel.
 80. The system according toclaim 78, wherein the at least one user's set top box is further adaptedto communicate the at least one identifier of the user in thecommunications network to the server apparatus through the returnchannel.
 81. The system according to claim 80, wherein the at least oneuser's set top box is further adapted to request to and receive from theuser, the at least one identifier of the user in the communicationsnetwork. 82 The system according to claim 75, wherein said serverapparatus is further adapted to cause said notifying.
 83. The systemaccording to claim 72, wherein said at least one identifier of the settop box comprises one or more among an identifier code stored in astorage area of the set top box or in a smart card operativelyassociated therewith, an identifier of the return channel, a telephonynumber of a telephony network exploited for setting up a return channel,or a media access control or a network interface card address of the settop box.
 84. The system according to claim 72, wherein said at least oneidentifier of the user in the communications network comprises one ormore among a telephony network identifier or an e-mail address.
 85. Thesystem according to claim 84, wherein said communications networkcomprises a mobile telephony network and said at least one identifier ofthe user in the communications network comprises a mobile telephonyidentifier.
 86. The system according to claim 85, further adapted tosend a contents availability notification message to the user exploitinga messaging service of the mobile telephony network, or a shortmessaging service.
 87. The system according to claim 86, wherein saidnotification message comprises a message sender identifier comprising afirst part adapted to identify the notification message issuing entityand a second part adapted to identify the contents object of thenotification.
 88. The system according to claim 86, wherein saidconfirmation by the user comprises a reply message to the notificationmessage.
 89. The system according to claim 75, wherein the set top boxis further adapted to communicate to the server a current working statusthereof through the return channel.
 90. The system according to claim89, wherein said server apparatus is further adapted to condition thedelivering of the contents to a preliminary check of the current set topbox status.
 91. The system according to claim 90, wherein the server isfurther adapted to notifying the user of the status of the set top boxthrough the communications network in case the set top box is notcurrently working.
 92. The system according to claim 78, further adaptedto cause the delivery of the contents via the return channel.
 93. Thesystem according to claim 72, further comprising a broadcast TV networkadapted to cause the delivery of the contents via broadcast TV signals.94. The system according to claim 93, further adapted to encrypt thedelivered contents.
 95. The system according to claim 72, wherein saidcommunications network is external to a broadcast TV networkbroadcasting the TV signals.
 96. A server apparatus adapted to enableuse of contents by a user of at least one set top box adapted to receivebroadcast TV signals, the server apparatus being further adapted to:establish an association between at least one identifier of a user ofthe at least one set top box in a communications network and at leastone identifier of said at least one user's set top box; notify the uservia the communications network of the availability of contents usable bythe user, by exploiting said at least one identifier of the user in thecommunications network; and upon receiving a confirmation by the user,identify the at least one user's set top box exploiting said at leastone identifier thereof and cause the delivery of the contents to theuser's set top box.